


Backstage

by ticklishraspberries



Category: Be More Chill - Iconis/Tracz
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Musical, Theatre, Tickling
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-14
Updated: 2018-11-14
Packaged: 2019-08-23 10:15:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,158
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16617035
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ticklishraspberries/pseuds/ticklishraspberries
Summary: Christine and Jeremy do the musical together.





	Backstage

“So, I may or may not have snuck into Mr Reyes’ office and found the script for the musical…”

“Christine, you really need to stop breaking into his office,” Jeremy said with a fond smile, shaking his head.

“It’s not breaking in if he gave me an extra key, technically.”

“ _ Technically _ .”

“Well, don’t you want to know?”

Jeremy shrugged. “I don’t know, do I?”

Christine pouted up at him, crossing her arms. “Jeremy!”

“Yes, yes, I do want to know!”

Standing up on her tiptoes and rocking back onto her heels, Christine squealed happily. “Beauty and the Beast!”

Jeremy grinned. “Weren’t you just saying the other day how much you love Belle?”

“Yes! I had a feeling we were going to do a Disney show this year because the Shakespeare and classical musical stuff clearly isn’t working for our popularity and I really hoped that it was this show but- Sorry, I’m just so excited!”

“Don’t apologize for being excited!” he said, putting his hands on the sides of her face and squeezing her cheeks gently. “I love hearing you talk.”

Blushing slightly, Christine smiled. “I mean, the story is kind of problematic if you really think about the elements of stockholm syndrome but Belle is a really strong female character! She’s always been my favorite, well, besides Mulan but she isn’t really a  _ princess _ -“

Jeremy couldn’t keep the grin off his face as he listened to her ramble on. Damn, he was so lucky.

 

***

 

Auditions had been a week before, and as the theatre program always seemed crunched for time, rehearsals had already started.

Being insanely talented, it was no surprise that Christine bad gotten Belle.

What did surprise Jeremy was the fact that he had somehow been casted as the Beast. He had literally asked Mr Reyes if there had been some kind of mistake when he saw the cast list.

But no, it was true, and rehearsal was droning on. With so many dance numbers, props, and costume changes, it was taking them an incredibly long time to get the show down to a science.

Jenna had joined the stage crew as a props girl, and had been bringing in everything that even the depths of the ancient prop closet could not provide them.

The prop table now consisted of several worn-out looking books, a stuffed duck, some miscellaneous tools, a fake shotgun, and a feather duster. To anyone unaware of the show’s story, they would likely be very confused.

Christine and Jeremy sat in the wings on late afternoon, watching rehearsal commence at a painfully slow pace; only an hour until they were granted a dinner break, then have to return for another two hours. Ugh.

Jake had gotten the role of Lumiere, and Rich was Cogsworth. Dustin Kropp was Maurice (Christine had begged him to audition).

The scene they were rehearsing was when Maurice first goes to the Beast’s castle by mistake. Jeremy rested his head against Christine’s shoulder, pulling out his phone to reply to the memes Michael had been texting him from the lights booth.

“That tickles, stop that!”

Jeremy immediately felt a poke at his side when Rich- pardon,  _ Cogsworth’s _ line was spoken, and let out a small laugh.

Christine grinned mischievously at him in the dim backstage light.

Narrowing his eyes playfully, Jeremy poked her stomach in retaliation, making her let out a soft squeak, batting his hand away.

“Jeremy and Christine, could you two please stop flirting in the wings? We can see you, you know!” Mr Reyes called.

Both flustered beyond belief, the couple burst into quiet laughter and quickly ditched the wings and went to continue their cuddling/kissing/tickle fight in the prop closet instead.

 

***

 

Brooke was playing Lumette, and though her acting had improved, she could not remember props for shit.

A feather duster left on the table caught Christine’s eye, a grin curling on her lips. Snatching it as Jeremy stared down at his script, she crept up behind him, bringing the prop close to his neck and moving the bunch of feathers against the back of his neck.

Jeremy gasped, pulling away as his whole body seemed to shiver under the sensation.

“Chris!” he whined. “That’s so unfair.”

“Why? Because I have a weapon and you don’t?” she asked, grinning and brandishing the duster at him.

Jeremy giggled nervously, stepping back. “But I’m taller, stronger, and probably faster.”

“And way more ticklish.”

He blushed. “Shut up.”

“That’s not a very nice thing to say to your girlfriend, Jeremy.”

“...I know we’re supposed to be teasing each other right now, but I will never get sick of hearing you say that.”

Christine blushed. “Aw, you’re the cutest!” she cried, throwing her arms around his neck and hugging him.

Jeremy hugged her back, and then quickly took advantage of the situation to poke her beneath the arms, making her squeal and pull away, giggling.

“You’re mean,” she said and stuck out her tongue.

Before Jeremy could reply, Brooke came rushing on the stage, looking for her prop.

 

***

 

Mic check was always hell. Standing up there for two minutes, deadpan rattling off your lines and being addressed on by your character name or body-mic number. It was dehumanizing and downright embarrassing.

“If I can’t love her,” Jeremy sang into a mic that turned on mid-lyric. After another line, he was given a thumbs up by the sound guy.

Christine had also already finished, and they exited stage left together. 

“You sounded really good! Your voice has really improved lately, you can tell you’ve been practicing,” Christine said, beaming.

“Thanks,” Jeremy said, flushing a little and averting his eyes down to his converse.

Christine frowned and poked his stomach, making him jump. “I mean it!”

“I didn’t argue!”

“But you don’t believe it.”

Jeremy shrugged. “I just don’t know how I got this part, honestly.”

Christine looked genuinely scary. “I’m going to physically fight you.”

“Bring it on.”

Jeremy should have been expecting her tactic to go back to tickling, but he genuinely hadn’t expected her small hands to dart out to his sides so quickly.

He let out a laugh, trying to muffle the sound in the sleeve of his cardigan. It was too late though, because Christine suddenly stopped, brows furrowed curiously before her expression read a mix of realization and horror.

Jeremy’s laughter had echoed around the auditorium. His mic had been turned back on, likely by accident, at just the wrong moment.

“Whoops,” she whispered, grinning innocently.

Jeremy, though embarrassed, got over it quick enough to chase her through the hallway and exact his revenge.

 

***

 

Opening night of the show went incredibly. Minor mistakes, laughter from the crowd, no voice cracks.

And Jeremy got to kiss Christine several times within the show, feeling her smile against his lips.

He still wasn’t so sure he deserved the part. Hell, he wasn’t even sure he deserved Christine.

But he was pretty damn lucky regardless.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed!  
> Feedback is always appreciated!  
> Tumblr: ticklishraspberries.tumblr.com  
> Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/V7V8FT1O


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